By: Rick Brassor
Spring is just about ready to jump into action in our areas
in Northern VT and NH. Some of you have
already started in the Southern areas of New England. We have lots to do to prepare for the event;
the reveal from Mother Nature. Will you
be ready? Do you have a plan going
forward? Believe it or not, some of you
are just waking up. Allow me to make
some suggestions for Spring Start Up Tips.
The cover, the protection of a snow cover can be your friend
but it can also be your demise. Be sure
to walk your areas of turf, or lawns, to observe what changes may or may not
have occurred. Watch out for damage from
frost/ice, which may require seeding.
The more you observe the turf/lawns the better informed you will be as
to what steps need to be taken immediately.
Perhaps a good roll is necessary but I rarely ever advise it.
The first thing I suggest to my people is to aerate, being
cautious as to the temperatures during your days and nights. One should not expose your roots to cold or
the extreme heat (not so bad for the latter if one has irrigation). Aerate as many directions as you can, watch
out for your irrigation lines and heads.
The turf/lawns have been quietly at rest and a shot of oxygen to their
roots will feel like a breath of fresh air.
If you are fortunate to have irrigation be sure to make note
of your heads and be sure NOT to aerate so deeply you will puncture the supply
lines.
The next step would be to gather soil samples to determine
where your soil is weak and strong. This
will aid you to determine the need for fertilizer, whether weed control is
necessary or not should also be a consideration. Once you know where your pH levels are you
can formulate a plan for Nitrogen and Potassium. We all know Phosphorus is highly questionable
and most likely you are not able to apply if not growing in new stands of
turf/lawns.
Over seeding is key for the Spring. We all know that weeds grow in open areas of
turf/lawns so germinating seed can provide a barrier to the encroaching
weeds. Keeping in mind that if you are
using a pre/post emergent weed control fertilizer you must also manage the time
frame for seeding. There are suggestions
within the turf experts that Perennial Rye seed can withstand the impact of the
pre/post emergent fertilizers but check your labels.
Over seeding at a rate of 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.
of area is not unusual and most likely will provide a good stand of turf within
a reasonable amount of time. This is all
relevant to the supply of water of course.
Be sure to watch the weather for rainfall if one does not have
irrigation. Any water is better than
none when it comes to germinating seed.
Next step, be sure to appreciate the job your doing. Make it a total commitment and you will enjoy
those results. Have a great year and
please reach out to Atlantic Golf and Turf with any questions.
Super website https://love-spell.org/wicca-love-spell/
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